How to Stop a Cyber Bully

Cyber bullies tend to rule the internet these days and, as a result, not everyone feels safe on the world wide web. So, if you are dealing with a cyber bully, it is time to take the steps to stop them.

Know Your RightsIn order to stop a cyber bully, it’s important that you know your rights. It is your right not to be threatened and harassed. If you are being threatened by someone, with or without the cloak of anonymity that the web provides, it needs to stop. Know How Cyber Bullies WorkCyber bullies will often harass you in chat rooms and through other social networking sites. They may follow you around the internet and bother you no matter where you are. They may enlist others in their attempts to harass or embarrass you. Knowing what cyber bullying is, and how it works, empowers you to recognize and avoid it. You can’t stop cyber bullying unless you know what it is.

Report ThemReporting someone as a cyber bully is a great way to deal with the culprit. If the bullying is taking place while you are on a public site, such as Facebook, report it to the site administrator. If you are at school, or on a private network, inform the school or network provider that the bullying is occurring. If the bullying is severe, threats are specific, or there are multiple incidences, report them to the police as many police departments now have departments dedicated to cyber crimes. Remember that cyber bullying is defined as bullying that takes place electronically between minors. If an adult is involved it becomes a much more serious charge. Block ThemIf a cyber bully is harassing you, blocking them is the best thing you can do. If you are on a public chat site where you can’t block someone, report them to the site administrator as they will usually block them for you or remove them from a site entirely. If you are on a site where you can block someone, block them. For example, if they are bothering you on your Facebook page, then simply delete them as a friend, and make your page private so that people can’t send you messages, or view your profile. Get HelpIf you are being cyber bullied, it is up to you to get help. Tell a parent or a teacher. Tell someone so that the problem can be handled and so that you can get help dealing with the psychological effects of being bullied. It can be extremely helpful to have an adult on your side, especially if the bullying is being done by more than one person.

You must take action to stop a cyber bully and let them know that you are not going to put up with it.